Accountability drives success, and for Kevin Theis, Director of Environmental Providers (EVS) and Linen Providers at MedStar Harbor Hospital, it’s a core worth. His dedication to each staff and private accountability not too long ago earned the EVS staff a prestigious Certificates of Advantage from the Affiliation for the Well being Care Setting (AHE). This nationwide recognition honors environmental companies groups that make vital contributions to affected person expertise and their healthcare group’s mission—and the MedStar Harbor staff did simply that.
The EVS staff at MedStar Harbor Hospital stood out for his or her excellent achievements in cleanliness and an infection prevention, together with:
4-Star Cleanliness Score: For 2 consecutive quarters, affected person surveys mirrored excessive satisfaction with the hospital’s cleanliness.
High 4 Nationwide Rating: The staff excelled in utilizing Surfacide UV gentle know-how, a vital instrument for an infection prevention.
Greatest-in-Class Mattress Turnaround Occasions: Persistently sustaining room availability with mattress turnover instances underneath 60 minutes.
Upon taking the management function in 2022, Theis introduced a complete technique to reinforce efficiency. With over 14 years of expertise in MedStar Well being hospitals—8 of these years spent with Crothall—Theis drew from his intensive background to implement a collection of key initiatives aimed toward elevating the staff’s efficiency. Beginning his profession as a affected person transporter in 2010, Theis has steadily superior by way of numerous administration roles, gaining a deep understanding of the excessive requirements required to reach healthcare help companies.
“I needed to make sure we’ve the perfect staff in the fitting roles whereas addressing a number of points to maximise our affect and set up a powerful basis for ongoing success,” stated Theis.
His technique concerned a number of vital parts:
Excessive-Profile Cleansing (HPC) Captain Report Playing cards: These monitor cleanliness efficiency for employees of their assigned items and reinforce accountability with weekly departmental reminders.
Signal-In/Out Logs for Tools and Carts: Guaranteeing vital instruments are at all times obtainable for day by day operations
Night Flip-Down Providers: This initiative focuses on affected person interplay throughout the night shift, making certain trash elimination, linen refreshes, and toilet cleansing..
Enhanced Recognition Applications: Employees achievements are celebrated by way of a “Housekeeper of the Week” board and a month-to-month publication that outlines key metrics and efficiency highlights.
Complete Floorcare Applications: The staff follows a 13-week cycle of ground initiatives throughout completely different facility zones, making certain constant maintenance and cleanliness.
Whereas many of those methods align with Crothall’s EVS requirements, Theis emphasizes execution. For instance, his staff makes use of Surfacide UV-C know-how day by day to disinfect affected person loos for 5 minutes, lowering micro organism and viruses. The staff ensures transparency by explaining this course of to sufferers, including consolation and belief to the equation.
The Excessive-Profile Cleansing (HPC) technique is one other standout part, utilizing customized report playing cards to judge the efficiency of housekeepers throughout numerous shifts. These playing cards monitor compliance with a 13-step cleansing course of and make sure that uniforms, gear, and security protocols are adopted.
One in every of Theis’s most impactful improvements is the nightly turn-down service, which addresses affected person wants throughout night hours. This service ensures that rooms are refreshed, important gadgets are replenished, and trash is eliminated, extending affected person care past the daytime.
Theis additionally created a month-to-month publication, often called the Harbor Journal, that stories on Key Efficiency Indicators (KPIs) like cleanliness scores and productiveness. This report is shared with each his staff and senior management, reinforcing the significance of transparency and accountability.
“Each piece of the technique goes hand in hand,” says Theis. “Publishing our scores makes us accountable. It exhibits hospital administration that we’re dedicated to creating the hospital safer and higher for sufferers. It’s all about affected person care, and we purpose to be the perfect.”
Beneath Kevin Theis’s management, the EVS staff at MedStar Harbor Hospital has really set a excessive customary, demonstrating that accountability and dedication to excellence can rework the affected person expertise. With the Certificates of Advantage, their laborious work and dedication have been rightfully acknowledged on a nationwide stage.
